How Sex Comedy ‘The Late Bloomer’ Hits The Right Spot

Can you even imagine what a nightmare it would be to go through puberty all at once as an adult? Well, you don’t have to imagine it anymore. You can watch it, and laugh at it, and perhaps even feel a few emotions at the same time, in the new sex comedy The Late Bloomer, on Netflix now.

And the craziest part about it all, is that this film is based on a real dude! In the film, Pete (Johnny Simmons) learns that a benign tumor has been all up on his pituitary gland, and that’s why he’s never had a sexual thought or action (yup, no erections) for his entire 30 years on Earth. Once that sucker of a tumor is removed, it’s game-on for Pete, a sex-therapist who has spent his career telling people that maybe sex isn’t so important and that urges can be totes controlled. Let’s just say, Pete does a lot of learning once that testosterone is surging through his body.

Pete’s friends are played by SNL’s Beck Bennett as Luke, the single dude who has a lot of sex, a lot of times, in a lot of places; and Kumail Nanjiani as Rich, the married father who yearns for sex on special occasions. Each has a different take on how Pete should conquer his whole new world and his feelings for his neighbor Michelle, played by Brittany Snow.

The Late Bloomer, directed by Kevin Pollack, is the best sex comedy since The 40-Year-Old Virgin, not only because it is a modern take on the genre, but because it gets so many things right. For one, since the emergence of Judd Apatow and his cornucopia of R-rated films, sex comedies are different. They aren’t just for teen bros anymore. They have to be able to appeal to a broader audience, both in age and gender, which The Late Bloomer understands in many ways.

Let’s talk about sex, shall well? The sex in this movie is never raunchy just to be shocking. It serves a purpose of a man getting to know his body and its capabilities, not strictly in a clinical way, but in that he chooses to hump pillows instead of desserts. So it’s just a bit neater than methods we’ve seen on-screen before.

Pete also has some perspective. He’s not just a horny teen running around with tented pants. Sure, the changes to his body are overwhelming, but for the most part, he’s a “nice guy” and that’s what’s at stake for him, not just popularity on prom night. Pete is given a reason for his horniness, other than just “He’s a dude!” Sure, he has his “Fuck everything” moment, due to the loss of blood in his brain, but his heart is telling him it’s simply so that he can be ready for the woman he has actual feelings for, Michelle.

His typically-teen outbursts directed at her, as well as his parents, the lovely Maria Bello and J.K. Simmons, are played for laughs, watching this guy experience the emotions of a 16-year-old as a guy with a career and fancy car and apartment to match. But this also opens the film up to some really touching moments, especially with the exceptionally laid-back and understanding parents, but also with his best friends.

It should be noted that the film is very sex-positive, providing the reassurance that sex is normal and natural and fun and most of all, still very silly. The women in the movie are not treated merely as objects, but as women who happily swiped right on the experience as well. The sex, or allusion to it, doesn’t come off as gross, but rather a mutually beneficial transaction for all parties involved. This story acknowledges that both hookup culture and actual relationships are out there today, and we’re all trying to figure out what works best for us at any given time. Sexuality as a whole is also given a nod of respect, with Michelle noting that just because a guy isn’t trying to immediately get you into bed, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s gay. It could also mean he has a tumor. All kidding aside, this is a film that understands that we all have different relationships with our bodies, our urges, and our sexual experiences, and there is no singular (consensual) method that works for everyone. And this movie is funny!

The Late Bloomer is leading the way for a new generation of sex comedies, not just for teens getting to know their bodies, but for adults learning to appreciate what they’re working with. This film expertly balances the horny with the heartfelt, with Simmons giving a wonderful performance as the boy-man at the center of it all. Have some tissues on hand, you might need them for more than one reason.